Sententious Subterfuge
by In The Name
Summary: With Darcy snooping around Jane's life, Lisbon comes up with a rather unorthodox plan to throw her off his trail. Spoilers for 4x16.
1. Chapter 1

**Since it's march break and I have an excess amount of time on my hands, I've started this multi-chapter fic. Updates for this story should be more frequent than my usual, thank goodness. :)**

**Spoilers for 4x17 so don't read on unless you've seen the episode! **

* * *

><p><span>Sententious Subterfuge<span>

"_These past two days have confirmed something for me. I think Patrick Jane is a cunning, manipulative, sociopath."_

Lisbon froze in place, not sure if she' heard correctly. With her coffee cup forgotten in her hand, she inched closer to Wainwright's office.

"_I think he's working hand-in-hand with Red John."_

It was at this point that Lisbon remembered her coffee, having almost lost her grip on it completely. She grabbed hold of it with two hands, trying to steady the shaking.

"_If it's true we're taking him down. And you can help or you can go down with him. I'm sorry to be so blunt but that's the FBI perspective. You deserve full disclosure"_

Oh no. Oh no, no, no, Lisbon thought. How could Jane have been so naïve as to think that Darcy wouldn't go after this as hard as she could? Lisbon could only hope that Wainwright would stand by his employee, wouldn't give in to such blatant coercion.

"_Yes I see. Well you can count on my full cooperation."_

His full cooperation. Wainwright would be cooperating fully with the FBI. In their investigation of Jane. Lisbon really did drop her coffee then. The loud clatter of her mug hitting the hardwood floor alerted everyone nearby to her presence. She picked up her mug, blessedly intact, and hurried off in search of a mop.

xxx

How was she going to fix this? Lisbon sat behind her desk, staring ahead but not seeing that Jane had entered her office. He walked languidly over to her couch and sat down, eyeing her curiously. She said nothing, she did nothing. How was she going to fix this?

Should she tell him? Surely that would be the best thing to do; he'd know what to do. But he never took anything for what it warranted. And this warranted concern. She could hear him now: _Not to worry dear Lisbon, she won't be able to prove a thing_. Lisbon wasn't so sure. All those things he'd done in an attempt to get closer to Red John could be easily twisted around and used as evidence to prove that he was already there.

"Lisbon?" Jane asked. His intonation suggested that he'd been trying to get her attention for quite some time.

"Huh?" Lisbon muttered, stirring from her reverie. "Jane, when did you get here? I thought I locked the door…"

"No, you didn't," Jane said. His concern showed in his eyes as he got up from his couch and sat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Lisbon, why don't you tell me what's bothering you? It would make my job a lot easier."

"No, nothing's bothering me," Lisbon said. She mentally pulled herself together, drawing a mask of calm to her features. "So what can I do for you Jane?"

"You can stop avoiding my question," Jane said, a frown beginning to set up shop along his brow.

"Seriously Jane," Lisbon said. Grabbing some files and straightening them, she tried to look busy and impatient. It nearly worked too. "I don't have time for your games right now. Either say what you came to say or go do something productive, like you job perhaps?"

"Snarky, I see. Okay Lisbon, you win this round," Jane said as he got up from his chair. "But I will find out what's going on. I always do."

Lisbon just grimaced. It was true. With that, he left her office and her thoughts swirled faster in her mind. It felt like there was a hurricane in her head, going a mile a minute. She wouldn't be able to keep this from Jane that much she knew. Would it be better for him to figure it out on his own or for her to tell him? She didn't think it would really make a difference. But it wouldn't do for them to talk about it here. For all she knew, Darcy had already bugged the bullpen and tapped their phones. Okay, maybe she was being slightly paranoid but better safe than sorry. Besides, it's not paranoia if they're really after you. Or in this case, Jane.

xxx

"Jane?" Lisbon asked softly. She was half hoping that he really was sleeping on his couch. Her coat was draped over her forearm, shielding her from his scrutiny.

"Why Lisbon, ready to share?" Jane asked, his eyes still shut.

"Come to dinner with me," Lisbon spluttered. It came out rushed and hushed, as if she didn't really want to say those words out loud. If she were being honest, she really didn't.

"Pardon?" Jane asked. At this, he opened his eyes and sat up straight. Upon opening, his eyes squinted again, looking for signs of deception and fraud.

"Come. To. Dinner. With. Me," Lisbon said slowly. She looked at the ground for a moment, taking strength from it before taking his stare in a stronghold. "I'm not taking no for an answer, now get up and grab your coat. We have reservations."

"I think I like this new side of you Lisbon," Jane said with a grin. "Now, not that I'm not looking forward to you trying to seduce me over a meal, but I'm not that easy Lisbon."

"So you think," Lisbon teased. "But you haven't been seduced by me before."

"No, you're right," Jane admitted. "Well, I'm looking forward to it."

"Good," Lisbon said. She put her coat on and started walking away without him. "Let's go."

The drive to the restaurant was a long one, Lisbon didn't want any tails. She was sure to take the most indirect route to the restaurant. They had time before the reservations she'd set up earlier. This didn't go unnoticed by Jane, who spent the entire car ride trying to get into her head and figure out what her plan was. It didn't work. For every manipulation tactic, she had a breezy comment ready to go. He didn't stand a chance; she'd been planning it all afternoon.

"Okay Jane, enough with the twenty questions, we're here," Lisbon said as she took her keys out of the ignition. "This isn't an interrogation."

"Then what is it?" Jane asked. Lisbon had asked herself this very question and so, without skipping a beat, she replied.

"A date."

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts? I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I happen to be really excited for this story. Leave a review? It would make up for the lack of snow on the ground outside. Sigh. That stuff's the best. :)<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, an update in less than a week! It must be some sort of miracle! Or just an incessant nagging in my head to write this story. What ever the reason, be thankful for it (I know I am). :p Well here is the next chapter in this multi-chapter fic of mine. I hope you enjoy it! :)**

* * *

><p><span>Sententious Subterfuge<span>

"So," Jane said around a mouthful of fettuccini alfredo. "What made you ask me here tonight?"

"I need a reason?" Lisbon said, a teasing grin gracing her features. It had been a while since she'd last been actively flirting with a guy; she hoped she hadn't lost her touch completely.

"Come on Lisbon," Jane said, leaning in conspiringly. "You can sit there, bat your eyelashes and throw me your seductive little smiles all night, but that won't change the fact that you're trying to pull one over on me. Don't try to deny it, I know."

"Patrick," Lisbon said softly, with just the right amount of condescension. "Don't try to run away from this by coming up with some conspiracy theory. We are just two people on a date who are done running."

Patrick held her gaze. Lisbon held her breath. He took a sip of his Chardonnay, mapping out the taste and assessing its quality. She brought her glass to her lips, taking a much bigger sip than was necessary and hoped time would speed up.

"Alright," Jane said, placing his glass back on the table. "You win this round, Teresa. Don't think I've forgotten about this, but you put in a valiant effort so I'll let it slide. For now."

"Thank you for a lovely evening," Jane said a couple hours later. They weren't able to resist a nice walk after their meal. The weather was beautiful, the nice stretch of an awakening spring. It was a shame their evening ended when it did, but both knew that they needed to get home.

"My pleasure," Lisbon replied. Jane unbuckled his seat belt and placed a hand on the car door handle before thinking better of it. With an unwavering gaze, Jane lifted Lisbon's hand from where it lay on the console to his lips. He sealed their date with a gentle, barely-there kiss on the back of her hand.

Lisbon was blushing long after Jane exited her vehicle and she was forced to take a few moments to regain her composure before driving away into the night. This was a bad idea. She shouldn't have done anything. Why did she think she could get away with this? That he wouldn't find out? He didn't believe her. That much was obvious. She doubted that he would let it go; he was like a dog with a bone.

She burst into her apartment loudly and without consideration for propriety. She threw her jacket over the back of her couch, tossed her pants lazily on the floor and hastily removed her blouse to follow. She ran to her bathroom and stepped into her shower before the water had warmed. It was only then that she relaxed, that she allowed herself to slow down for a minute.

She could do this. It wasn't like she was committing treason; she was just trying to con the conman. She had no delusions that this would go smoothly or be in any way easy. She'd have to be on her guard every waking minute of everyday. It would be exhausting and it would be worth it.

"… _I think Patrick Jane is a cunning, manipulative, sociopath."_

"… _working hand-in-hand with Red John…"_

"… _taking him down…"_

"… _full cooperation…"_

These words flitted through Lisbon's mind, mimicking the water that was swirling down the drain. She had no choice, really. Darcy was going to start investigating Jane with the undiluted force of the FBI. She'd be looking into bank records, credit card statements, and phone records. There'd be a surveillance team on him, if there wasn't already. She couldn't know Darcy's moves for sure, but she sure as hell knew Jane's. His long nights spent brooding in the attic, the occasional breaking and entering stunt; they would not look good on his resume. So there was only one logical alternative: give Jane a new hobby. One that didn't include any shady business with the law. One that included shady business with a certain law enforcement agent, her mind supplied. Lisbon flushed, despite the increasingly cool temperature of her shower. Okay, that was enough. She hurriedly washed her hair and body, having been much too preoccupied by her inner musings for the first twenty minutes.

She couldn't remember stepping out of the shower, blow-drying her hair and changing into her pyjamas, but there she was, staring up at the ceiling above her bed instead of getting some much needed sleep. It was too warm in her room; she needed some air. Rustling around to get her arms untangled from the blankets didn't seem to help any. She sighed and clasped her hands together over her stomach. She was still but her thoughts were racing. The minutes passed slowly but steadily as Lisbon stared at her ceiling. She couldn't even close her eyes to give the semblance of sleep.

Why was it such a big deal? It wasn't. She was just a friend helping another friend. She would probably show him that there was more to life than moping around a dirty attic, get him to enjoy himself a bit, all while saving him from life in prison. Really, it was nothing to be losing sleep over.

But the problem was that she wasn't telling him the truth. Sure, she didn't tell him everything, everyone was entitled to a few secrets, but this was directly involving him and wouldn't hurt him if he knew. She just thought he might not be on board if she told him what she was planning. Oh god, she was sounding like Jane. If she were honest, _that_ was the biggest problem.

She already went along with all his schemes these days, now he was the one coming up with them. She was even using the white knight excuse to justify not telling him. He'd be better off not knowing. He wouldn't go along with it if he knew. This way he had deniability, would be in no way implicated in some sort of conspiracy involving Red John. It sounded awfully familiar. But the bottom line was that Darcy wouldn't think Jane was working for Red John if he spent his time with Lisbon. So if dating him was what it would take to save his life, Lisbon was more than willing to do so.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>So the plot thickens, a little. I can't wait to write more, so I might even start on the next chapter right away. I'll be updating again in roughly the same amount of time, I expect. Any reviews would be greatly appreciated. I'm not begging, on my knees with a pouty expression on my face... pshh! Of course not! I have some dignity... somewhere. :p Anyway, see you next chapter! :)<strong>**


	3. Chapter 3

**So I've managed to keep up my pattern of updating frequently! Yay! :) This chapter is a little longer, but I think you'll find that it goes by quickly. :P Please enjoy this chapter! **

**Just a small warning for language, you are forewarned.**

* * *

><p><span>Sententious Subterfuge<span>

They were mocking her. Her hands, they were mocking her. That must be it. Why else would they be shaking? It made it impossible to get any work done. She'd been trying to fill out paperwork for hours and under normal circumstances, she'd have been done in half the time. But he'd walked into her office that morning without a word, crossed the room and proceeded to lie down on her couch and close his eyes. He hadn't said anything to her all day, just feigned sleep. It was unnerving as hell.

They hadn't said two words since their date. He hadn't pried, she hadn't tried to explain. Despite the little voice in her head encouraging her to just reveal the truth, she had made up her mind. She'd act as if this was for real and she'd do a bang up job of it too.

"I'm glad we had dinner last night," Jane said out of the blue. Lisbon jumped at the first sound of his voice.

"Uh, yeah," Lisbon mumbled. "Me too."

"It's nice that we've finally gotten past what was holding us back and just went for it," Jane said. _He's laying it on pretty thick…_ Lisbon thought. _Oh my god he know_s_! _

What was she going to do? He wasn't fooled one bit. Her whole plan… _Slow down there. _Lisbon thought_. Just think for a second. It's not over yet._

"I agree," Lisbon said with a sweet, albeit false, smile. 'I know it must be difficult for you Patrick, but it's nice to see you trying."

Their eyes locked in a stalemate, neither of them would back down or admit defeat. An unspoken challenge went unacknowledged but understood. Lisbon knew the gravity of the situation, the danger in saying aloud what she dared to think. Jane knew the temptation that was messing with Lisbon, Lisbon assumed.

"We should do it again," Jane said, upping the ante.

"We should," Lisbon agreed. She nearly dropped the pen she'd been holding; instead she deliberately placed in of her desk. There it lay parallel to her other pens and perpendicular to her laptop, neat and organized.

"Tonight," Jane said cheerfully. He sat upright and made to get up.

"What?" Lisbon asked, startled.

"You heard me my dear," Jane said. "Tonight we'll go to dinner. Why wait?"

"You know what," Lisbon started. "You're right. Why waste precious time? It's not like you're getting any younger."

"That hurts Lisbon," Jane said. Feigning grievance, he walked out of her office.

"Suck it up, princess," Lisbon called after him.

xxx

Lisbon sank her teeth into a mouth-watering steak sandwich. It was juicy and decadent, just what she'd been craving. She didn't understand how he could have possibly known, but when she'd arrived at the small café as per his request, it had been waiting at her place on the table with a smiling Jane across from it.

"We really shouldn't be doing this," Lisbon said around a mouthful of sandwich.

"Why not?" Jane asked. His face was one of shock but his eyes showed the truth.

"We have a case," Lisbon said. "We get paid to solve homicides, not to go out on lunch dates."

"Case, shmase," Jane said, biting into his turkey sandwich. "Besides, we're going to have this case closed by nightfall."

"Oh are we now?" Lisbon asked sarcastically.

"Yes," Jane stated. "I have a plan."

"Of course you do," Lisbon said, rolling her eyes.

xxx

"Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry," Lisbon whispered as she manoeuvred through the aisle, past the people and to her seat. After nearly tripping over a few feet, she finally made it back to her seat. "Next time, get your own damn popcorn."

"Thank you," Jane whispered back. "You got back just in time."

"Halfway through the opening credits is not 'just in time'," Lisbon whispered as she settled herself with her drink and Jane's popcorn.

"Oh, it all makes sense now," Jane whispered. "You're a likes-to-watch-all-the-trailers-for-upcoming-movies kind of girl. I see."

"Hush," Lisbon muttered. Her request was seconded by an annoyed patron to their left. The impassioned exclamation was followed by the two of them trying, and failing, to stifle the giggles that they'd been overcome with.

xxx

"Mmm," Lisbon hummed. "This is delicious Jane. You really know how to pick a restaurant."

"What do you think I do all day?" Jane asked, pausing to take a sip of his red wine.

"Well, I knew you didn't work," Lisbon said. "But now I know that when you look like you're lounging on your couch, you're really thinking up places to take women out to dinner."

"Not women, Lisbon," Jane said, looking meaningfully into her eyes. "Just you."

xxx

Lisbon arched her neck and closed her eyes, letting loose a small moan of pleasure as Jane worked out the knots in her neck. They hadn't had much physical contact over the past couple months, or the past couple years for that matter, so the surprise neck massage was just that, a surprise.

"Okay, you have to quit your job," Lisbon said. "And become a masseuse. You are really good at this." The remark earned Lisbon a soft chuckle from Jane's lips.

"Meh, doesn't pay as well," Jane said, continuing to dig his fingers into a particularly large knot in her shoulder.

"A pay check worse than the meagre amount the CBI pays you for consulting? Never." Lisbon muttered.

"Well, the company isn't as good either," Jane whispered in her ear. She was embarrassed to admit that the feeling of his breath against her ear had sent a shiver down her spine.

"I don't doubt that," Lisbon replied. "Cho makes for great company."

"You know exactly who I'm talking about," Jane said. He pressed a feather-light kiss to the exposed skin of her neck. This sent another shiver through Lisbon that manifested as more of a jolt than a mere shiver. "And she's a whole lot sexier than Cho."

"Jane," Lisbon breathed. Her eyes snapped open. This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to make her _feel_ this way. The bastard. She cleared her throat, and with it her head. "I think it's time for you to leave, it's late."

"You're probably right," Jane admitted. He rose from where they sat on her couch in her living room. "Thank you for the movie, and the lovely evening."

"Thank you for cooking," Lisbon retorted. She was still a little shaken from the feeling of his hands and lips on her skin, albeit just that of her neck and shoulders, but she was recovering quickly. She'd be fine, it was nothing. Really.

"My pleasure," Jane said with a smile. His fingers briefly tangled with hers before her opened the door to her apartment and walked outside to his car. All Lisbon could do was lean against her door frame with her arms crossed, staring after him with a deliberate smirk upon her face. He tossed a wave in her direction which she returned, minus some of the enthusiasm he'd put in his. With that last goodbye, Jane got in his Citroën and left.

The dark sedan that had arrived with Jane left with him as well. The least conspicuous of their trio, however, had stayed in its spot. Not daring to think about it too long, Lisbon went to bed. While Jane did not stay the night, this surveillance vehicle did.

* * *

><p><strong>And the plot thickens! We're getting somewhere now folks. :p I'm a bit busy for the next couple days but you guys have my word that I will do my best to update this story. Without further ado, I leave you with a question: is it not better to have read and reviewed than to have never read at all? Just some food for thought. :p<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, I'm back. I realize that this update took a little longer, but I had legitimate reasons. I haven't responded to the reviews for the last chapter yet, but thank you to all that did. I haven't forgotten about you, it's just been a tough couple of days. I'm also back to school now but I think I'll be able to squeeze in time to write regularly. Just to clear something up about the last chapter, it was not meant to be one long date. It was supposed to be little snippets of many different dates over a period of time. Sorry for any confusion. Anyway, with that in mind, on with the show!**

* * *

><p><span>Sententious Subterfuge<span>

This wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. It seemed that Lisbon had a shadow. One that wasn't caused by light, but by one FBI agent Darcy. If they were following her, that could only mean one thing and that thing wasn't good for anyone. This was not good.

Lisbon was pacing back and forth in her office, much in the same pattern as her thoughts. Should she stop with her plan? But then it would have all been for nothing… and besides, Darcy would see right through the charade if she didn't keep it up. But then how was she supposed to get the FBI to believe that she and Jane were dating? Maybe she should just but down the marionettes and end the show…

"Teresa." A voice startled her from her musings. Looking up, she saw that this voice belonged to one Patrick Jane. Speak of the devil.

"Jane," Lisbon replied. She stopped her pacing and walked around her desk, ignoring Jane's questioning gaze. "What can I do for you?"

"Well," Jane started. "If you remember, we have another date tonight. I am here to pick you up."

"Oh right," Lisbon exclaimed. "I'd forgotten, sorry."

"No harm, no foul," Jane shrugged. He didn't ask her what was bothering her, but Lisbon could see in his eyes that he hadn't missed a thing. Maybe he had finally learned when to keep quiet. Or more probably, he simply didn't need to ask.

"I'll just grab my coat and we can go," Lisbon muttered. She could feel his eyes on her, studying her, as she hastily shut down the computer and grabbed her belongings. It was unnerving at the best of times, and this was certainly not the best of times. "Where are we going?"

"My, my Lisbon," Jane chastised. "If your head wasn't attached to your neck, you would have forgotten it at home! We're going to your apartment and you're going to show me your cooking skills. Well, you're going to try to prove to me that you do indeed have cooking skills. I don't know why you insisted when we both know I'll just end up doing the cooking anyway. Really Lisbon, if you wanted to embarrass yourself I'm sure there are much easier and less painful ways."

"Well maybe if you hadn't made that incredibly sexist comment the other day about me letting my gender down by not being able to cook, I wouldn't have to prove you wrong," Lisbon nearly shouted.

"Hush woman," Jane said. "You know it was all in good spirit. I would never degrade you, or your gender. Not to your face, at least." Jane added with a soft chuckle.

Deciding he'd earned himself a decent punch, Lisbon landed one to his arm before racing ahead to her car. She started the engine before Jane had even made it out the CBI doors and he just walked outside in time to see the tail end of her vehicle leaving the parking lot. She was glad that they'd reached an unspoken agreement early on that they would take separate vehicles to her apartment for dates; he always left at a respectable hour after all. The drive gave her some time to think, something she'd forgotten to do for the past few weeks. It was no wonder that the FBI didn't buy her act, from an outsider's point of view it would be obvious that they were just going through the motions. They wouldn't have seen any evidence of intimacy at all. She'd settled for the intimacy of their conversation, but she hadn't been thinking. The surveillance team wouldn't have known that, they'd just see two people who spent a suspicious amount of time together outside of work. How could this have backfired on her? It had seemed foolproof! Jane hadn't even given her a hard time about it either. He'd been really good about it actually. He hadn't hesitated or resisted in any way…

Lisbon quickly parked into her parking space and put the car in park so that she was free to rest her head against the steering wheel. She really hadn't been thinking at all these past few weeks. Grudgingly, Lisbon got out of the car and marched up the steps to her apartment. Jane was just pulling in, but she didn't wait for him to catch up. She felt like such an idiot.

"Lisbon," Jan called and he jogged after her. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her expression.

"You know," Lisbon stated simply, shutting the door harshly behind him.

"Of course I do," Jane said. "I've known from the beginning. You didn't think I'd miss something as big as the FBI following me did you?"

"Then why didn't you say something?" Lisbon demanded.

"I saw no need to," Jane shrugged. It was his turn to start pacing now. "You felt like you were doing something to help and I saw no need to crush your hopes. It was a rather nice plan, I'm quite proud of you."

"Oh shut up," Lisbon muttered, folding her arms across her midsection. A serious look crossed Jane's face and he placed two fingers on her arm.

"But you know this has to end," Jane said. "Don't you?"

"Why?" Lisbon asked desperately. "Why do we have to stop? If we can just be more convincing…"

"There'll be no changing Darcy's mind now," Jane said solemnly. "It was a stretch for her to believe that we were dating, she had suspicions right from the beginning."

"But after all we've done," Lisbon started.

"Obviously we didn't do enough," Jane said softly.

"I didn't want to push you into something you weren't comfortable doing…" Lisbon muttered.

"And I believe it was your courteous nature that was the downfall of this plan," Jane said.

"But you…" Lisbon tried to say.

"But nothing," Jane said. "I tried to give you hints that it would be alright, surely you noticed. What would it have hurt? A simple, harmless kiss? But what's done is done and there's no saving it now."

"No," Lisbon said fiercely. "I am not going to throw you to the wolves."

"I'm afraid you have no choice," Jane said just as fiercely as she. "I am not going to drag you down with me. It was all fun and games in the beginning but now you're in trouble too. I'm not going to let you ruin your life trying to save mine."

"But they'll throw you in jail Jane!" Lisbon shouted.

"Yes, they probably will," Jane conceded. "But Darcy now thinks that you are in Red Johns pocket as well as I and your career is at stake, not to mention your life. I will not let you be a martyr to your cause, not this one."

"Jane," Lisbon pleaded, not willing to let go so easily.

"No Teresa," Jane said coldly. "This is over, I'll no longer be requiring your assistance with this."

With that Jane left her apartment, not looking back once. It was just as well because although Lisbon was able to stop herself from chasing after him, her tears didn't get the message.

* * *

><p><strong>So the plot thickens! I hope I was able to surprise at least a few of you with that one. I'd love to hear your thoughts and whether or not I was successful. Please leave a review and I'll get back to you as soon as I can, thank you! :)<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**So sorry to all of you! I can't believe it's been so long. What can I say? Grade twelve decided it had been slacking in its workload and remedied it by bombarding me with tests and assignments. A kind reviewer, HannahbananaJane, brought to my attention that it's been almost a month since my last update so instead of getting some much needed rest, I finished this chapter. It's a nice longer one for you, as an apology from me. Enough of my babbling, here's the continuation of:**

Sententious Subterfuge

Their eyes locked. What went between them was almost visible, full of resignation and desperation; both were, regretfully, on her part. Surely everyone had noticed. When Lisbon was able to break away from Jane's gaze she saw that they were still immersed in the meeting. Strange. None of them had any idea; they were all oblivious to the chaos that filled the bullpen. Her eyes darted around the room, unwilling to return once more to Jane's gentle gaze. Instead, they landed on another gaze, one that wasn't so forgiving, one that belonged to FBI Agent Darcy.

Lisbon felt her breath hitch in her throat. She counted to three._ One. Just relax. Two. She has no proof of her suspicions. Three. Everything will be okay. _Her breathing regulated, slowly but surely. Darcy knew it too. A smug smirk adorned her features and Lisbon knew that she believed she had all the evidence she needed. Nothing would change her mind, not now. Darcy interpreted her behaviour as nervousness, and she was right, just not for the reasons she believed. Darcy could give Lisbon a run for her money in the stubbornness department. There would be no reasoning with her and any attempt would just be further evidence of her guilt. Damn.

"Thank you, Agent Wainwright," Darcy said loudly. "As some of you may know, the FBI is in the midst of an investigation involving certain CBI agents. I know how gossip spreads in the work place and I know that some of you may feel threatened or uneasy. I'm here to quell these rumours. Yes, the FBI is investigation a few CBI agents, but I assure you all that if you have done nothing wrong, you will have nothing to fear. Agent Wainwright has assured me that the FBI will have your full cooperation and we expect you to uphold his promise." Darcy looked straight at Lisbon for the last two phrases, extracting a large gulp from within her.

Lisbon didn't stay to hear the rest of the speech, not caring that this would make her look like she had something to hide. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty, huh? Guess the FBI didn't have time for something as frivolous as her fundamental rights. After all these years of working for the CBI and a member of SFPD before that and this was how she was rewarded? Well, she shouldn't be surprised. This had happened with the McTeer case after all. Of course, then she had been suspected of murdering a criminal and now she was under suspicion of working for one. This situation she was in now was a little more serious, with a little more at stake.

Lisbon closed her eyes and took a deep breath; it wouldn't do to dwell on this. She needed a plan, not self-pity. She opened her office door and made for her couch that Jane had so kindly provided for her. However, she was stopped in her tracks when she say that all was not how she'd left it.

"Lisbon," Jane called from somewhere behind her. He caught up to where she was standing, narrowly avoiding the papers scattered on the floor from where Lisbon had dropped the case file she'd been carrying. She wasn't moving a muscle, not to blink, not to breathe. "Lisbon? Lisbon what's wrong?"

He was so focused on Lisbon that he didn't see what she'd noticed upon entering her office. His gaze was directly on her and it wasn't until Lisbon raised a shaky finger to point at what had rendered her immobile that he allowed himself to take in the scene. The scene that now included a red smiley face drawn in blood above her once-white couch.

xxx

"This isn't good," Lisbon whispered, her hands holding a warm cup of tea but not trusting herself to take a sip without spilling the contents. "This isn't good at all."

"No," Jane conceded. "This isn't the ideal situation."

"Not the ideal situation?" Lisbon blurted at full volume. Compared to the decibel at which she'd been communicating since the discovery, her words could have been shouted at the top of her lungs. "Jane, Red John has sent us a warning."

"We don't know that," Jane lied. "He could be merely taunting us. He knows the situation we're in and he wants to stir up trouble."

"Bullshit," Lisbon said. "You and I both know that this is his way of saying that I'm next. I probably don't have more than a few days…" She looked down at her hands, refusing to let this break her. She'd been through too much to let this destroy her. If she was going to die, and she had no doubt that she would, she'd keep her dignity intact.

"Lisbon, I'm not going to let him hurt you," Jane said, deadly serious. "I can't lose you. The team can't lose you. We will all be there to protect you. We can probably even get Darcy to help out. I doubt that she'll still think you're working for Red John when he's obviously targeting you now." He tried to fake a grin for her benefit but Lisbon wasn't paying attention.

"I think I'm going to go call my brothers," Lisbon murmured. She got up from where she stood and went into her office. Jane watched her as she left. This wasn't right, this wasn't fair.

"Mister Jane, a word," Darcy commanded. She looked regal in her tailored suit, calm and pristine in a world that was falling apart. How she could be so put together at a time like this, Jane couldn't understand. But perhaps it was merely his world that was crumbling to its knees and not the one shared with Agent Darcy.

"Of course," Jane said. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Why would Red John draw a smiley face on Agent Lisbon's wall?" Darcy asked bluntly.

"Isn't that your job to figure out?" Jane asked. "It's your case, is it not?"

"I figured we'd save some time if we helped each other out," Darcy shrugged.

"Well his intention is clear," Jane stated.

"Is it?" Darcy asked, her expression showing her doubt.

"Red John intends to kill Agent Lisbon," Jane said through gritted teeth. The words were bitter in his mouth; they stuck to his tongue like glue, threatening to choke him.

"Or maybe he's trying to throw me off the trail," Darcy suggested. "Maybe he's trying to help out his friend when he's in trouble. Perhaps he's trying to lift suspicion from his helper who's under investigation by the FBI."

"Darcy, you and I both know that that is not the case," Jane said. "We can sit here and argue about it but at the end of the day, Lisbon is in danger and I'm not going to stand by and wait for her to die. Now if you'll excuse me…"

"This isn't over Patrick," Darcy warned as Jane walked away. She'd be talking with him later, preferably in an interrogation room with him sporting handcuffs as an accessory.

"No, no it's not." Jane said. He found Lisbon and the team in the kitchenette, talking quietly about what was happening. He walked in just as Lisbon was telling them what a pleasure it was to have worked with them all these years.

"While that's all well and good Lisbon," Jane said as he appeared behind her. "Your farewells are not what are going to keep you alive."

"Jane," Lisbon started, her voice already carrying an echo of defeat. This wasn't good.

"Cho, Rigsby, Van Pelt, I assume you've already worked out a stakeout outside Lisbon's apartment?" Jane asked. Cho nodded his confirmation. "Good. Lisbon, we're going home. Guys, I want you to start your stakeout as soon as possible. Red John is not going to succeed." He took Lisbon by the arm and guided her to the elevator, careful not to drag her along.

"I'm not dead yet," Lisbon muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jane asked as he jabbed the elevator button repeatedly. Why was the goddamn elevator taking so long?

"It mean's that no one has died and make you king," Lisbon said. "Yet."

"No one is going to," Jane said sternly. As soon as the elevator reached ground level, Jane sped to his car with Lisbon in tow.

"I don't need you to babysit me," Lisbon said as they sped down the road to her house. "I can take care of myself."

"So could Bosco," Jane said harshly. "But that didn't stop Red John from getting to him and his team. I'm not taking any chances with this Lisbon."

"No," Lisbon muttered angrily. "You're not taking the chance that you might miss him. God forbid you miss out on your revenge." Jane pulled the car over suddenly, putting it in park and glaring at Lisbon.

"You think this is about revenge?" Jane shouted. "This is about keeping you safe. This is about me not being willing to lose another woman I- in my life at the hands of Red John. You are so much more important than my revenge ever was and I'm not going to let him take you." The fierceness in his rant nearly scared Lisbon, but it also served as an awakening.

"You'll stay with me?" Lisbon asked quietly.

"Of course," Jane said.

They couldn't keep calm that night. They tried to go about a normal routine, making dinner and watching reruns, but the food was bland and the screen was dull. Their appetites shot, their attention span null and void. After the clocked stroked ten, they gave up on any semblance of normalcy and headed to bed. There was no question about where Jane would sleep that night. He belonged in her bed with her, to watch over her as she slept. It didn't matter that they didn't sleep a wink until the early hours of the morning, Jane held her to him all night.

Xxx

The sunlight was shining through an open window in the bedroom and onto Jane's face. He blinked a few times to clear his vision as he tried to make out the time on the alarm clock. It was nearly seven in the morning, how had he slept so long? He thought he'd been awake all night, but obviously he was wrong. Jane wondered if Lisbon had managed to get some sleep too. He looked around the room in its simplicity. It was too simple on this morning.

Jane whipped out his phone and pressed number two on his speed dial. True to his nature, Cho answered on the first ring.

"Cho," Jane said. "She's gone."

* * *

><p><strong>Oooh the plot thickens! How many of you caught that curve ball? Only a couple chapters left, I believe. Thanks for sticking with me! :) I'm off to reply to reviews now, so if you want to send me one... well I wouldn't object. :)<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Here is the next instalment of my fic. Thank you all for your patience, I know I left you all hanging with the last chapter. I apologize for the wait. There has not been a dull moment around here, I can assure you that. :) So now that we're done with the preliminaries, on to the main event.**

* * *

><p><span>Sententious Subterfuge<span>

The harsh light of the interrogation room was unforgiving. It wasn't becoming on anyone, least of all a man who feared for the life of his partner and an FBI agent convinced of his guilt.

"You're wasting your time," Jane said.

"Let me be the judge of that," Darcy countered. "Now, you can make this easier on both f us and cooperate, or we can do this the hard way. I have plenty of time, Mr. Jane."

"You're wrong," Jane muttered angrily.

"And just what might I be wrong about?" Darcy asked without real interest.

"There is no time," Jane said. "Teresa Lisbon will be dead before the day is done." A smile graced Agent Darcy's face, twisting it into a stated of self-declared superiority. It was the smile of one who saw no need to play the game, for they had already won.

"And just how might you know that?" Darcy asked.

xxx

_Lisbon's gaze alternated between focusing and unfocusing on the carpet beneath her feet. It was the same carpet she walked on every morning and every night. She'd replaced her old one a few years ago, when a suspect had followed her home and left behind permanent stains that could not be bleached. She'd changed the carpet, got rid of the stains, but the memory wasn't so easily erased. When the new carpet had first been installed, it had taken a while to get used to it and even longer to let go of the violation of her privacy she felt every time she saw it. She wondered how long it would take for her to get over this new violation into her home before she realized that she wouldn't have to._

"_There's something I didn't tell you," Lisbon muttered. She paused, took in a deep breath. Jane didn't interrupt, understanding that she needed a moment to breathe. "After you left my office, I found something. Something I'd thought I misplaced. I woke up this morning, went through my normal routine, but my watch wasn't where I'd left it. I always put it on my bedside table, Jane, always. But it wasn't there this morning. I didn't think too much of it, as I was in a rush. How could I have missed it?"_

"_Missed what Teresa?" Jane asked when she did not continue. She raised her head to look into his eyes and he realised for the first time that her own had a glaze of unshed tears. Teresa was not one to cry, especially not in the presence of others. It was not a luxury she allowed herself, to impart some of the weight unto others. She was built to be strong, to carry it on her own shoulders without complaint. She'd been running with it for as long as she could remember, its weight varying, and now that she was down to the final stretch, she was feeling it for the first time. _

"_He was here," She whispered. "Red John. He was in my house and I didn't know. I didn't notice Jane! He could have killed me where I slept, but he didn't. Instead, he took my mother's watch from my bedside table."_

"_How do you know this?" Jane demanded. "How do you know it was him?"_

"_Because he returned it Jane," Lisbon said meekly, her shoulders slumping in a defeat. "He left it for me in my office, smeared with blood and permanently set to 11:59, tomorrow night."_

_xxx_

"I didn't take her," Jane spat through clenched teeth. "I didn't kill her."

"Mr. Jane," Darcy said in her patronizing voice. "Do you really expect me to believe that you are not involved in Agent Lisbon's abduction? You were with her all night, by your own admission! You have no alibi for the timeframe in which she was taken. No one is going to believe you Mr. Jane, least of all me."

xxx

"_I know I asked you to stay," Lisbon said suddenly as they stared blankly at her television set. _

"_Lisbon," Jane said softly._

"_No, Jane, let me finish," Lisbon interrupted. "I changed my mind. You need to leave."_

"_No," Jane said fiercely. "That's not an option and you know it."_

"_Jane, if Red John is going to kill me, there is nothing you will be able to do to stop him," Lisbon argued. "You'll only get yourself hurt or worse. Not to mention Darcy will be on your back before you can think straight. You need to leave. Go somewhere, anywhere. But not here. You need an alibi Jane, for when he comes for me."_

"_Do you think I care?" Jane exploded. "Do you think I give a damn about anything or anyone other than you right now? I'm not going to leave. Darcy will question me anyway, there's no avoiding that. You and I both know it's true, don't try to deny it. And maybe you're right, maybe I won't be able to protect you—I couldn't even protect my own wife and child. But I'm sure as hell going to try."_

_xxx_

"Come on Mr. Jane," Darcy said. "Enough with the act. You and I both know you're lying to me. You say you're not working with Red John? Well prove it. Start cooperating."

"Ask me anything and I will tell you what you need to know," Jane said. Finally, they were getting somewhere. The sooner they were done with these tedious questions, the sooner he could get Lisbon home. Unfortunately for the both of them, they were on a deadline that Darcy was failing to acknowledge.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

xxx

_The sheets were cold beneath their bodies; the covers could have been ice. They felt no passage of time, just the feel of each other and the tears that slid down their cheeks in an ancient dance shared by all of humanity. They felt united with this dance, one they had no control over. It expressed a multitude of emotions and thoughts they were unable to formulate. She was crying for the pain he would endure, for the fear she felt. He was crying for what they both would lose, for the inevitability they were both feeling. But above all, he cried for he knew that the whole thing had been preventable._

_xxx_

"You have no right to hold me here," Jane stated in a voice eerily calm.

"I can hold you for twenty-four hours without arresting you Mr. Jane," Darcy said menacingly. She put on a good show; she was a force to be reckoned with. If he were anybody else, if it had been anybody but Lisbon, he may have felt intimidated.

"I suppose you can," Jane admitted. "Or you can let me go and find Teresa."

"The FBI is looking for her," Darcy repeated for what felt like the thousandth time. "We're going to find her without you."

"Without me," Jane said slowly. "You have no hope of finding her alive."

* * *

><p><strong>So there was no real development in the plot... Is that really so bad? It is, huh? Well then, I'll just have to make up for it in the next chapter. This fic is slowly drawing to a close, but don't let it feel neglected! Share your love and support, for the fic is terribly insecure and lonely (it's told me so) :p Thank you all for reading! :)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Finally! An update! Have you forgotten what this story is all about? I'm sorry about that. Hopefully it all comes back to you as you read this chapter, but if not, you may want to reread this story from the beginning. Tedious, I know. But I hope it's worth it. I have no good excuses, but you'll be happy to hear that I survived high school! :D So much stuff has happened in the past couple months, I can't even believe it. Okay, enough of my rambling. This is a long chapter, I warn you. It took me a long time to write it. I hope you're not falling asleep by the end of it! Enjoy. :)**

* * *

><p><span>Sententious Subterfuge<span>

Was the floor wet or just cold? She couldn't tell. It permeated everything. Her fingers traced patterns across the goose bumps on her legs, reassuring herself that they were still there. It was as if her appendages were asleep; a lack of blood flow that resulted in a void sensation. She tapped out a soundless tune on her legs as if they were a grand piano. She'd never been a very talented piano player, hadn't had much practise, but she could feel the blood flowing to her fingers as she played. That was the goal, so she made the conscious effort to continue. It gave her something to concentrate on, something other than the predicament she found herself in. That was something she wasn't going to think about. Going down that road would only end in should have's, would have's and could have's, not to mention the question of whether or not she'd live long enough to employ any of these resolutions. She gave her head a shake, trying to stop herself from doing exactly what she was trying to avoid. Hindsight was twenty-twenty. She couldn't have avoided this. If she repeated this enough, maybe she'd start believing it.

She pulled her hands forward slightly, meeting the resistance of her restraints as they rattled against the old piping against the wall. She could see the rust covering the pipe, closer resembling a coat of paint than rust at this point. The dull colour was complemented by the rays of light struggling through the dust-covered window, casting an eerie glow wherever it passed. She was probably in an old, abandoned building, judging by the look of it. She'd go so far as to say the basement of said building, if the height of the window was anything to go by. It was a tad clichéd but it worked. Red John wouldn't employ a method that didn't ensure a desired outcome. When it boiled down to the cold, hard facts, the truth of the matter was that it was increasingly hard to locate a kidnapping victim when they were being held in an abandoned building that had no connection to the victim or kidnapper. She'd had her fair share of cases where she'd been unable to save the kidnapped man, woman or child because they'd been just out of reach in an old, abandoned building. What had happened to those cases? The paperwork had been filled out and they'd been filed away. They'd been given a number and tossed among the rest, to be forgotten until a later date when they may be useful. She supposed that she was a case now, to become a number and dismissed. She repeated her earlier motion of shaking her head, trying to quell her stray thoughts. It would not do to dwell on what may or may not happen.

A loud noise interrupted her musings, well it was loud compared to the decibel she'd been used to. In actuality, it was merely the creaking of the hinges on the only door in sight. The door opened in an excruciatingly slow manner, whether this was Lisbon's perception or the truth, she did not know. All she knew was that she dreaded seeing the one opening the door, as she had no doubt as to whom it would be.

"You're awake, I see. Good." The disembodied voice traveled faster than Lisbon's eyes could adjust. Her vision was hazy, still recovering from whatever drug had been in her system and the new influx of fluorescent light brought by the opening of the door.

Lisbon blinked furiously and opened her mouth, not knowing exactly what she was going to say. She didn't have to worry about that though, since what came out sounded more like a strangled grunt than an actual language.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," The hooded figure closed the door, drenching them in darkness. Lisbon felt her head spinning as her vision was disrupted once more. "The paralytic hasn't quite worked its way out of your body yet. So don't expect to be able to move or speak any time soon. But I see you've regained feeling in your fingers and you are able to move them, that's a good sign. I guess then, you're also quite sensitive to light as well as changes in light."

Light bulbs on the ceiling exploded to life in quick succession, causing Lisbon to shut her eyes in pain. She'd already been curled awkwardly around the pipe to which she was handcuffed but she squirmed into another unnatural position, trying to get away from the light and the havoc it was wreaking on her eyes. A raspy laughter resounded off the walls. He was enjoying this, the bastard.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." He said as he circled around her. "You aren't very intimidating without your gun and badge. You're so helpless, it's almost sad. You see Teresa, that is one of the many differences between you and me. I don't need a weapon to strike fear into the hearts of the Faithless. I need but paint my trademark and everyone knows it's me, everyone knows what I am capable of. I'm damn-near omnipresent, omnipotent. It's not vanity or conceit, it is but truth. I can assure you that there is at least one person for whom I am the only reason to live, the only thing ever on his mind. You know of whom I speak, don't you? Your precious Patrick Jane. Don't think I didn't notice your valiant effort to protect him from the FBI investigation. I did, but you really should have left it to the professionals. You were unable to succeed, but I think you'll find that my approach is far superior. By the end of this ordeal, he'll be cleared of blame and suspicion, much like the Carter case."

At this, Lisbon's eyes forced themselves open as wide as they could go. Had Red John really…? Was the whole trial…? These thoughts raced across her mind, and across her face, without completion. While there was no comprehensive thought process in her mind, the underlying concept must have been evident in her expression of shock.

"You didn't really think that Jane pulled off the acquittal all by himself, did you? Of course I had my people in the jury. Before you even try to ask, Jane was not aware of my interference. Although, I highly doubt that he doesn't suspect. Did he not share his suspicions with you? Don't feel offended, my dear. After all, competing with me is rather like a tortoise racing a cheetah. I know why you do it, however. You love him. How sweet. But you of all people should know how fickle a thing love is. Besides, your love is unrequited, we both know that. Really, I'm doing you a favour. You could never hope to replace me in Patrick Jane's life. I have helped him more than you ever could and he will not give me up. I don't think he could, even if he wanted to. He's an addict. Much like your father was addicted to alcohol, Patrick Jane is addicted to me. Your father pushed away everyone, including his own children. He hurt you more than the loss of your mother could on its own, before he ended his own life. I think you'll find that Patrick Jane meets a similar fate. They both sought reprieve from their pain, your father through whiskey and Patrick through chasing me. No, he'll never choose you over me."

With that, Red John left the room, shutting off the light and locking the door behind him. Lisbon's jaw was set, tension burning through it to the point of pain. How could she not have known? It wasn't surprising that Jane hadn't told her all his suspicions, that was how it had been ever since they had been working together. But she should have put the pieces together. Jane's defence hadn't been _that_ good. It had been good, well planned and executed, but it was a stretch to believe that it would have ended in a complete acquittal. She should have known.

_Pull yourself together_, Lisbon thought to herself. _So Red John is still three moves ahead, this isn't a chess game. His strategy means nothing if you change the game._

The chances of the team finding her were slim, unless Red John wanted them to find her. She didn't know if that was likely because despite Red John's impassioned speech, he was still careful. He had taunted and bragged, but he hadn't let slip an inkling of his plan. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He said that by the end of this, Jane would no longer be under the FBI's suspicion. What he meant by that, Lisbon couldn't be sure. But she knew that Jane was the focus of this plan, not her. She was merely a pawn, a side road to get to the highway. How could Red John ensure that Jane be cleared of blame in Darcy's eyes? She could assume that Red John intended to kill her during this game. If not kill, then injure. If Jane was the one Red John was trying to manipulate with this, then that meant he was using her to do so. That meant that, despite all his claims of superiority, Red John knew that she mattered to Jane. He knew that as long as Lisbon was alive, she would be trying to get Jane to change his ways. Red John also knew that it was already working. So whatever he did to her, it would affect Jane. Lisbon felt pieces of the puzzle fall into place. She may not have all the pieces, but she knew enough. She also knew that the next time Red John came back, he would most likely kill her. Well, she wasn't about to go down without a fight.

xxx

Lisbon rattled her handcuffs a bit, finding that they didn't give any more than they had originally. This wasn't unexpected, after all these were standard CBI issue handcuffs that were designed to withstand the forces of stronger prisoners than her. Still, she had accomplished what she'd aimed for and let loose a small smirk before schooling her face into a more appropriate expression. It was just in time too, because not a split second after she'd reigned in her expression, the door opened. The light wasn't nearly as blinding this time around and Lisbon could feel all her limbs and muscles ready to go.

"Well, my dear, it looks like the show is about to get started." The voice wasn't right. It wasn't as high-pitched and raspy as before. It was lower, gravely and completely wrong. "Red John says your Jane will be figuring out the clues we left for him right about now."

Lisbon's eyes widened, her previous state of shock returning to her visage. The man at the doorway noticed, a certain air of satisfaction surrounding him. He closed the door and turned on the lights in the room. Lisbon forced her eyes into a squint and moved as if to shield herself from the light.

"The suspense must be killing you." He smiled a cruel grin. "Well, lucky for you my dear, Red John has instructed me to let you in on the plan. He thought he'd at least let you know why you were going to die before we killed you. You see, Red John has everything all figured out. He left a couple trails, breadcrumbs if you will, for Jane. One will lead him to you, the other to Red John. Red John knows that Jane will tell the team where you are and go after him alone, which is where I come in to play. You see, the team will be too late. But not by much, that part is critical. They'll come in just as you draw your last breaths. They'll all be distraught, understandably so. You are quite the woman, Teresa Lisbon. You will be missed, my dear."

The way he was looking at her, the way he was using that term of endearment, made her skin crawl. They were defiling the term, him and Red John. They were taking it away from her, the special term Jane reserved for her. They knew it too, Lisbon could tell.

"Your team will blame Jane, of course. They'll push him away, leaving him to quit the CBI. He'll be distraught, showing the FBI that he could have nothing to do with Red John. Everything will be as it should be. Jane will be right where Red John wants him for the next part of the plan. But you don't need to know that part, after all… you'll be dead."

Lisbon struggled to get into a squatting position, knowing that she wouldn't be able to keep sitting much longer.

"Uncomfortable?" He asked. "Red John really has thought of everything. This building, it's not traceable to Red John or any of the Faithful. The only trail to it has been carefully and specifically laid for Patrick Jane. It is a good location, too. No one is around to hear your screams." He paused to look at Lisbon's dubious expression. "You may not be screaming yet, but I assure you the time will come."

"You know what the problem is with abandoned buildings?" Lisbon asked calmly. "The piping sucks."

The confusion barely registered on Red John's minion's face before Lisbon pulled the pipe loose and jumped to her feet. She closed the distance between them, aiming for his head. She swung with enough force to knock him out, but his reflexes kicked in and he dodged her blow. Instead of hitting its target, the pipe came in contact with his arm, breaking it. With his dominant hand, he pulled his knife from the pocket in his dark pants. Lisbon raised the pipe to hit him once more, but her opponent landed a swipe of the knife across her forearm before she could. She blinked back the tears of pain that had surfaced and aimed a well-executed kick to his shin. He buckled over for a second, allowing Lisbon to trust the pipe upwards into his gut, winding him. He swung his arm out, knife in hand. Lisbon felt a sharp pain in her thigh, the knife having bit into her skin there. He straightened himself and backhanded Lisbon, a loud slap accompanying his blow to the side of her face. It knocked her down on the ground and she heard the knife clatter on the floor a few feet away. It must have flown out of his hand when he hit her. She tried to crawl over to grab the knife, difficult with the handcuffs still around her wrists, only to be thrown onto her side when he kicked her stomach with the force of a freight train. He walked over to pick up the knife as she coughed and tried to get oxygen into lungs.

"You shouldn't have done that, my dear." He said. He pulled her up and held her back to his chest. His broken arm was around her waist, not bearing as much pressure as Lisbon knew it could, had the bone been intact. His other was by her neck, the knife poised to strike. "Now, I can't kill you for a few minutes, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun while we wait, my dear."

Lisbon breathed in deeply, as she felt his broken arm dip ever so slightly lower on her waist. One, two, three. In a swift motion, Lisbon grabbed the hand holding the knife to her throat. She pressed hard on the pressure point beside his thumb and caught the knife as it fell loose from his grip. She held it tightly and swung it down beside her. His grunt of pain signalled her triumph. She'd hit her mark. He fell to the ground, releasing her from his hold. She ran to the door, wrestling it open to make her escape. She charged up the stairs, only making it a couple steps before her head felt light and she had to lean on the wall for support. She wasn't sure how long she had before Red John's drone came after her. Trying to regain her focus, she forced herself to climb the rest of the stairs. She reached the top, albeit slowly, and the view she was confronted with was the best she'd seen in so long. She felt something wet slide between her breasts. It felt different than the sweat she'd long since been drenched in. She looked down and saw a thin red line. She touched it with her fingers, finding it warm and wet. Tracing it to its source, she found that Red Jon's minion had landed a nice cut along her neck. The pain registered shortly after the discovery and she fell to her knees. Her vision started to go black around the edges, a dark frame encompassing the portrait of her teammates. They'd come for her, just like he'd said.

"Call an ambulance," Cho said in a tone that was slightly more alarmed than normal. Lisbon felt her eyes flicker, becoming heavier with every passing second. "Lisbon, stay with us. An ambulance is on its way, you're going to be fine."

Lisbon's eyes darted around, seeing Van Pelt's worried face behind Cho's stoic one. She saw Rigsby in the doorway, making a call to 911. There was no one else, save for the backup pulling up behind Rigsby.

"He was right," Lisbon whispered. Her voice sounded far away, like it was being pulled away from her throat and sent across the room.

"Who was right?" Cho asked. His eyes were imploring, or as close to imploring as Cho would ever get. He was no doubt trying to make sure she didn't slip into a coma or something.

"Red John," Lisbon said. "Jane did choose him…" Her eyes fluttered close without her consent. "Over me."

"Where is that ambulance?" Cho shouted.

xxx

Lisbon was swimming. She was swimming through dark waves of pain. There was no shore, no bottom, just the dark water. Shadows floated in the water, coming in and out of focus before she could make sense of them. She thought she heard voices, but they were muted. Maybe they were above the surface. She felt herself being lifted to the surface, slowly gaining consciousness.

She pried her eyes open only to close them again against the bright lights above her. She knew she had to open her eyes again. That's what one of the voices had been saying as she rose to the surface, the other speaking some sort of language she didn't understand. It was easier to open her eyes the second time around. But something was wrong with her vision. What she was seeing couldn't be real, couldn't be true.

"Teresa," Jane breathed. His fingers brushed her cheek hesitantly before moving to cup her cheek tenderly. His thumb drew circles as he caressed her smooth skin.

"Jane?" Lisbon asked in a hoarse whisper. "You're alive."

"Aren't I supposed to be the one saying that about you?" Jane asked with a chuckle. "You gave me quite a scare there, well all of us really."

"How did you get here so fast? Where is here? How are you not hurt? Please don't tell me you killed Red John. How could you…? Why did you…?" Lisbon said, going at a mile a minute.

"Shh, Teresa my dear." Jane said.

"Don't call me that," Lisbon said icily. The memory of Red John and his disciple using the term of endearment still burned fresh in her mind. Jane took on a look of shock briefly, before he composed himself once more.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Jane said, not pausing his thumb's movements across her cheek. "You're in an ambulance on your way to the hospital and I got here so fast because I was waiting in the van while the team went in and found you. I knew I would only get in the way and I couldn't risk your life like that, not again. I'm not hurt because I didn't confront Red John, so he's still out there. He's probably disappointed that I didn't make our little meeting, but hey, you can't please everybody." Jane finished with a small grin that didn't quite meet his eyes.

"But…I don't understand. Why did you…?" Lisbon trailed off, unable to find the right words for the question.

"Why did I choose you?" Jane asked for her. He tilted her face back to where it had been before, looking at him. She just nodded, not trusting herself to say anything. She felt like she was humming in anticipation of his answer. "Teresa, I can't go back to how it was before. What you did for me was so much more than a ruse to try to clear my name. It gave me a new start, a refresher course in how to be happy. I can't promise you forever, not that you would ever ask for it, but I know now that I don't want to spend it without you. Please, don't make me go back to before."

His eyes were pleading with her in that way that made her feel like agreeing to anything. She shouldn't give in so easily, shouldn't let him play her so well. That was something she'd have to work on, given plenty of practise. She looked into his eyes, not giving anything away. Without words, she placed one hand atop his and the other snaked to his neck to pull him down to her level. He smiled as he leaned in, looking like he'd found his fortune. She stopped him short when he was just inches away from sealing their lips together. He could hear her heartbeat, could smell her perfume.

"Don't you ever make me worry like that again," Lisbon ordered. She'd been scared out of her mind the whole time she'd been held captive, even as she made her escape. She thought she'd lose him forever, that he'd choose Red John instead of her and loose his life because of it.

"Only if you return the favour," Jane countered. He didn't hesitate in joining their lips together in a heated kiss, full of life and reassurance. She was alive, they both were, and they could hardly believe it. Their lips danced together as they reaffirmed this truth, not wanting it to have been a dream. With his lips soft against hers, she let out a soft sigh. It wasn't quite what she'd imagined their first kiss to be, and she would deny it to her grave if anyone asked her about imagining it, but she decided they could do worse than sharing their first kiss in an ambulance.

"Ahem." One of the paramedics cleared their throat to alert them to his presence. Clearly, they'd made him uncomfortable. They hadn't really been thinking about anyone else in the back of the ambulance. They broke their connection, but didn't move very far apart.

"So Teresa," Jane whispered against her lips. "Where would you like to go on our first, real date?"

"I don't know if it could really top any of our fake dates. I mean, we set the bar pretty high." Lisbon said sarcastically. She couldn't suppress the smile that emerged across her features. She felt like a balloon had swelled inside her chest, filling her with an uncontainable joy.

"Well, we'll just see about that." Jane said. He leaned back in to kiss her lips once more. He knew that he was already addicted to her sweet kisses. But the paramedic was not having any of it, insisting on interrupting them again.

"Excuse me, sir." The paramedic said. "We're here. I'm going to have to ask you to set back so we can take Ms. Lisbon into the hospital."

"Yes of course," Jane said. "I'll see you on the other side." He gave her hand a short squeeze before stepping out of the paramedic's way.

* * *

><p><strong>Congratulations, you made it through that monster chapter. I'm not quite through with this story yet. I'm kind of curious to see how their date goes, are you? I haven't yet decided whether the next chapter will be the last or not, but I have decided that I'm not going to leave you guys waiting for it again. I'll be seeing you all shortly! I hope you liked this crazy chapter. :)<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**I didn't make you wait as long for this one, that's good right? Here's the conclusion to this story that took me way too long to write than is acceptable. Aha. I want to thank everyone who reviewed this story, especially anyone who I couldn't respond to. Also, thank you to everyone who favourited/alerted this story. Enjoy :)**

* * *

><p><span>Sententious Subterfuge<span>

"How are you feeling boss?" Van Pelt asked as she put her hand on Lisbon's shoulder. Lisbon could hear Rigsby munching on his apple from across the room. He was really trying to stick to that healthy food kick of his. Underneath the crunch of the fruit, Lisbon felt Cho's unwavering gaze assessing her condition.

"I'm fine, really guys," Lisbon replied. She was surrounded by faces of disbelief. It was just as well, she was lying through her teeth. In truth, she could feel every bruise, scrape and break her body had suffered.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, you hear?" Van Pelt said sternly.

"Isn't that my line?" Lisbon joked. She tried to let out a laugh, but her bruised ribs protested. Her discomfort must have been evident on her face because Rigsby left the room hurriedly to get a nurse before Van Pelt could even voice the request.

"Guys, you're overreacting," Lisbon said in a strained voice. "It's nothing, really."

"Boss, you're obviously in pain, probably more than you're letting on," Van Pelt said sternly. "If nothing else, the nurse will up your pain killers."

"Guys, really," Lisbon started, but she stopped short at Cho's glare. The look he was giving her rivalled her own. She didn't really want to fight them on this, so she didn't utter a single protest when the nurse arrived and gave her another dose of the pain medication.

"Boss," Cho said. "We're going to have to ask you about what happened, for the report."

"Just because I'm in the hospital, doesn't mean that paperwork doesn't have to get done, huh?" Lisbon said. She tried to push herself into a more comfortable sitting position but stopped herself when she felt a sharp pain in her side. Rigsby was immediately at her side and helped her sit upright. She smiled her thanks and he mumbled something about checking up on Jane. She didn't want to think of what kind of trouble he could have gotten himself in, so she let Rigsby take care of it. She wasn't going to worry about him this time, give that job to Rigsby too.

"Okay," Lisbon said. "I guess I should start at the beginning?" With that Lisbon told Cho and Van Pelt everything she could remember. She couldn't give them much, not having been conscious when she was kidnapped. She tried to give details about the man who had revealed himself as Red John, but they were all hazy and indistinct. It was infuriating. As a cop, she didn't put much stock into a witness's description because it was subject to discrepancy. But as a witness herself, she wanted nothing more than to give her teammates a description that would lead them straight to Red John. Another issue was that he'd never come out and said that he was Red John. He'd certainly implied it and there was no doubt in Lisbon's mind that he was Red John, but it made it more difficult should she testify in a court of law. She paused in her recounting of the events when she saw Rigsby return with Jane in tow.

"He knew things," Lisbon said quietly. "He knew things about my family, about my father. He said some things to make me doubt whether or not I'd make it out alive. He's good at mind games, I'll give him that, but after working with Jane for all these years, I like to think I've grown resilient." She shot Jane a small smile at this, trying to diffuse some of the tension that was thick in the air and in her lungs.

"What happened next?" Cho asked when she didn't continue.

"Red John left after he made it clear that his motive was to get Jane out of hot water with the FBI," Lisbon said. "Then the guy you found showed up. He was supposed to kill me while Jane met up with Red John. Obviously, that didn't happen." She looked at Jane, trying to decide whether or not to include what she'd learned about Red John's plans for him. Despite wanting to shield him from unnecessary pain, she knew she had to tell them, him and the team. She took a deep breathe to mentally prepare herself, and to buy her a little extra time.

"Red John wanted the team to arrive just as I died," Lisbon said, her voice shaking slightly. "He didn't think that Jane would be able to kill him when they met. He also wasn't going to kill Jane. He wanted you guys to blame Jane for my death, pushing him away. Jane would be isolated and ready for the next part of Red John's plan. That's what the second guy said."

Lisbon described her struggle with Red John's man in as much detail as she could recall, knowing that it would be needed if this case went to court. She never once took her eyes off Jane's as he processed the new information. When she was done, the team left. They wished her well, telling her they'd see her at work when she was fully functional. That left Jane and her at opposite ends of the room in a staring match. One that she ended up losing when she couldn't repress her smile. She should be worried about his emotional temperature, but she couldn't get their previous encounter out of her head. He'd stayed.

"Get over here," Lisbon said. A small grin mirrored hers as Jane started taking a few small, very slow steps towards her.

"We should probably talk about what happened," Jane said. Despite the seriousness of his words, he kept the smile firm on his face.

"There's plenty of time for that," Lisbon said. She reached towards him so she could thread her fingers through his. "Later."

Jane didn't offer any more resistance, letting their lips meet as their hands had. She felt just as he remembered, both against his mouth and palm. He smiled into the kiss as he realized he'd be feeling this more often now.

xxx

"I hope you like Indian food," Jane called as he entered Lisbon's hospital room. She was only staying the night for observation, but she wasn't about to eat that detestable hospital food, not on his watch.

"You're in luck," Lisbon said. "I happen to love Indian food, but you already knew that." Jane smiled at that, it was true after all.

"You should at least enjoy the food on our first date," Jane shrugged. "I can't guarantee that you'll enjoy the company."

"You'll just have to try extra hard to be on your best behaviour," Lisbon said. "Maybe then your company will be tolerable."

Instead of responding to her cheeky comment, Jane tossed the plastic cutlery at her. They bounced off her collarbone before landing on her lap. Jane let out a short chuckle as he set down the brown paper bag that contained their dinner onto the end table next to Lisbon's hospital bed. He pulled up a chair before opening the bag and passing Lisbon her food.

"Your favourite, I believe," Jane said.

"You know me so well," Lisbon said sarcastically. "Seriously though, how did you know? Have we ever had Indian food together before?"

"Ah, ah, ah Lisbon," Jane said with a wave of his finger. "That's for me to know."

"Right," Lisbon said. She was already thinking of ways to get Jane to talk. The way he was smiling at her triumphantly made her want to rid him of his smile one way or another. "Just shut up and kiss me Jane."

"I think you'll find that societal norm dictates that the kiss happens at the end of the first date," Jane said, making no move to close the distance between them.

"That didn't stop you before," Lisbon said with a raised eyebrow.

Jane shrugged, conceding that she was correct. He still didn't make a move to kiss her though, merely taking a bite of his food instead. Lisbon shot him a glare. It didn't work as well as it normally did. Jane just sat there staring at her with an amused expression and ate his dinner.

They didn't say another word until they'd finished their dinner, the silence speaking volumes. In place of conversation they had secretive gazes. Instead of jokes they had the affection in each other's gaze. It wasn't obvious, but they spent a better part of half an hour looking for it. When they finished eating, Jane picked up their garbage and quickly disposed of it.

"We really should talk about Red John, as it seems that he's not through with me yet," Jane said, his face contorting into a more serious expression. He made his way back to the chair beside Lisbon's hospital bed.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Lisbon said with a small, reassuring smile. "Until then, let's just enjoy our moment of peace."

To Jane, it sounded like the best idea he'd heard in a very long time. She gazed up at him, her eyes repeating her earlier request. This time he didn't resist. As he joined their lips he thought to himself, he could get used to this.

* * *

><p><strong>The end. :) Thank you for sticking with this story! I hoped you liked it as much as I did. Until next time! <strong>


End file.
